General Chat

Having re read my post, I had better rephrase it before someone tells me that I am already disturbed

I will have a short break to rest my fingers, typing uses different muscles.

It is nice and warm in the house with the heating on, but we had a phenomenal amount of rain last night. we went to York today to do some shopping and all the fields on the way were more like lakes.

Good evening Linda

if we send you a little heat, could you please send us a little rain?

Allan

Berona, I'm reading a book written by Colleen McCullough who wrote The Thorn Birds. This book is "Morgan's Run"
All about the passage and shipment of convicts from England to Australia from 1775.

Have you heard or read this book?

Tec

It sounds like a fair swap to me Allan.

I have read the Thorn Birds Tec, but hadn't seen that one.

I am allowing myself one type, then one card etc. I must get them done because we are going to my Uncles funeral mid week and it means an over night stop because it is too far to go in a day.

Any sign of your groceries yet Berona? I hope you didn't order any ice cream

No, I didn't order ice cream, but I did order frozen crumbed fish, so we'll see what happens. I am going through the experimental stages at the moment, so frozen goods and weather are part of the experiment! I chose a wide delivery time (8am to 2pm) - I just hope that doesn't mean the goods will be on the van all that time!...Again - all part of the experiment!

Tec - I did read Thorn Birds and enjoyed it. The only other book I have (tried to) read is Antony and Cleopatra. I still have it, but only got through about 100 pages before I gave away reading it. I felt I was reading a text book for a history exam, and with most of the people having names ending with "ius", I found it very confusing. I haven't heard of Morgan's Run - are you enjoying it?

Berona - Morgan's Run

It was one of the greatest human experiments ever undertaken; to populate an unknown land with the criminal, the unloved, and the unwanted of English society. Amid conditions of brutality that paralleled that of slavery, 'The First Fleet' was sent to a place no European but the legendary Captain Cook had ever seen.

Left to live or die on the hostile Australian continent, these convicts - and their equally isolated guards - occupy the centre of Colleen McCullough's compelling new epic, Richard Morgan - convicted felon and educated, intelligent, resourseful man - finds the will to survive, experience the joys of love, and finally make an indelible mark upon the new frontier. A thoroughly researched historical saga, rich in romance, adventure and unforgettable characters, Morgan's Run has the makings of a modern classic.

900 pages - and a good read...........Tec

I am off f to bed now, so will look for your grocery report in the morning Berona.

I expect Tec will be awake all night reading.

Goodnight everyone.

Goodnight Linda, Sleep well - keep warm.

Tec

I'm taking myself off to bed too,
so Enjoy your day Down Under,
and sleep well up top,

Goodnight my friends
Tec

And here I am, all ready to make my grocery report!
Goodnight Linda and Tec - keep warm and sleep well.

If anyone is left - my groceries arrived in a refrigerated truck. Two men filled two big plastic baskets and one wheeled them in, while the other one locked up. Everything was cold and the frozen item was handed out separately - still frozen...and a quick check of the goods shows that all are exactly what I ordered and even the delivery man was pleasant! So that's put a good start to my day! With both deliveries received by 10:15, I am now free to go out - but it's getting too hot and humid - so I think I'll stay in.

I haven't been able to sleep all night for worrying about your grocery delivery Berona,so am glad to hear it all went smoothly

Well, unlike Linda, I didn't stay awake all night worrying about Berona's shopping, but it was my last thought before I went to sleep, and my first thought upon waking.... so I am relieved to know it was a successful experiment.

That said, don't give up the driving license Berona.

Not wishing to sound like a whinging Pom,

But when, oh when, is it going to stop raining.

The rivers are overflowing, the fields are flooded, and it never stops - night and day. Apparently, November was the wettest since 1914, and we had 598mm of rain. That is 2ft.....two feet of water fell on us.

I hope I get a boat for Christmas...........

Tec

Good morning/evening my friends.

What an amazing amount of rain, Tec. We normally have a decent rainfall but nothing like that - or at least not for days and nights on end. The odd year we have seen unusual amounts of rain. Around 12 years ago we had floods in areas that were totally unprepared. My daughter was newly wed and living in a small 2 storey town house. The lower floor was flooded and they lost some new furniture. They rang in a panic but as some of the roads were closed due to the flooding we were unable to get to them. To make it worse the phone lines went down and they lost power too so we spent a sleepless night not knowing what was happening. We saw them the next afternoon and couldn't believe the mess. They had stayed upstairs and literally "weathered the storm". Luckily they were covered by insurance.

Berona - I'm glad you're grocery delivery worked out so well. It's something to fall back on if you decide you don't want to drive anymore.

I've just been listening to the news and yet another bomb has gone off in Pakistan killing 36 people and wounding many others. Are we becoming blase to this news? I don't think I am but the comment OH and I made was "oh another one". It's almost a daily occurence and I think we sometimes forget that it is innocent people going about their daily business who are being killed. What a terrible way to live your life.

Sue xx

Good evening/morning everyone! I'm so flattered that I was in your thoughts!!! I have since gone over the groceries and found that the meat I ordered had its own label stating that it was under 500grams and was priced at $17.33, where the list stated 500g as $17.50, and that's what I was charged, but then I ordered a 30pk of dishwasher tablets and they sent two 15pks and charged the list price for 30 - so it worked itself out, but I really don't think they have the right to do that. I had said "no substitute". Also, I don't think the bread was as fresh as it should have been. I will keep an eye on this next time.

I see on another thread, there is talk of inviting lonely people for Christmas dinner, but I have my thoughts about that. I'm sure that to lonely people, Christmas day is just another day to them and would pass the same as any other day. I think they would be happier being noticed throughout the year, not just once a year.

I wish to announce that my Christmas cards are in the post, even the ones for abroad have gone on time. This is a mammoth achievement, well for me it is. My fingers are aching from writing so many letters. I know that I should be grateful to receive any cards at all, but when you open one to see they have managed to write "hope you are well", I honestly wonder why they bother.

Grump over.

My next major panic will be when I make out a list of people I need presents for and find that I haven't got any.

Not that anyone will miss me, but I will be missing for the next two days while I attend my uncles funeral.

Good Morning Sue, Hope you are well now,

I know that parts of your lovely country are crying out for rain, so it must seem unfair to them that we have so much. It would be nice if things could be evened up a bit. It does give you the pip when it just seems to rain for ever, but compared to the poor people in Cumbria who are having to spend the winter in caravans due to flooding, we really shouldn't complain. That was a nasty experience your daughter had, and so good that she was insured.
According to the forecast, Thursday and Friday might be dry, so hopefully we will be brave and get some shopping done.
All the Christmas cards went off today, so that's that done.

Tec

Good morning/evenining to all

Berona, I'm so pleased that your groceries arrived safely

Tec, whilst I would like some rain I think that the volumes that the UK is having would drive me mad.

I remember from when we lived in the UK, poor old York was flooded most years whenever the Ouse burst its banks

Sue, it's not being blase, just acceptance! The same thing happened in the UK during the IRA campaign. People just went on with their lives and tried not to be disrupted by the possibility of being caught in an explosion

Allan

Good morning Berona, we arrived at the same time. I agree with you, it always seems a bit patronising to me to think that people on their own need to be taken away for Christmas dinner, but are supposed to be fine for the rest of the year.